Cherry Snow
by Raya Light
Summary: A CCS x Tiny Snow Fairy Sugar Crossover. Complete. Spring is here, and so is Sakura's BDay. Rika gives her a special present. Meanwhile, Saga is mourning the past winter. Little does she know that she may yet see snow... With a little help!
1. Prelude

Disclaimer: I own neither "CardCaptor Sakura" nor "A Little Snow Fairy Sugar". They are all owned by people much more talented than I. :)

Togashi-kun is my own creation, but since he's more of a placeholder boyfriend for Naoko-chan than a real creation, feel free to steal him. (Though, Naoko-sama may strongly object to that...) I guess Powder would be my creation, but the creators of Sugar have just as much claim to her in my opinion. For those who would know such things, that is the name I gave the fairy who saved Saga when she was four, and in this story she is Sugar's mysterious, often mentioned but never seen mother.

Minoru-kun, Hans and Sawaii-san are completely my own creations. Please use them gently, or I won't acknowledge them. :)

I do not write for reviews, but I sure enjoy compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. - Raya

WARNING: Spoilers for "A Little Snow Fairy Sugar" ahead! You have been warned. There are also some spoilers for CCS, but that has been out in the US longer than Sugar so I don't think you're at as much risk....

**Cherry Snow**

Part I - Prelude

----------- March 23 -----------

"Sakura-chan!"

Sakura turned away from the bakery window as she heard her name called by a familiar voice. "Rika-chan! Good morning!"

"Good morning!" Rika smiled as she stopped beside Sakura and looked in the window. "Shopping for sweets?"

"Mm... I was thinking that strawberry cake there looks really delicious, but that price seems a little high."

"Well, they do have a reputation for making really good cakes. And I hear the strawberry one is their most popular." She laughed. "Sweets sure seem to disappear around your house. It seems like every time I see you out shopping, you're picking something up."

"Yeah, well...."

"Say, Sakura-chan. You like piano music, right?"

"Hu-e? Sure. I love listening to you play. And that CD you bought me for Christmas was so beautiful. Why? Are you having another recital soon?"

"Haha, no," Rika laughed. "Actually, I was thinking of taking you to a concert for your birthday next week. There's a pianist coming in from Germany who is supposed to be really good. Would you like that?"

"What? Um, sure I would like that. But Rika-chan, wouldn't that be expensive?"

Rika laughed again. "Oh, not really. Besides, it's your 16th birthday, right? Don't worry about it. So, we'll plan on that then. Do you mind if I invite a few other people to come along?"

"Um, of course not," Sakura said, still unconvinced.

"Good," Rika said with a smile. "I believe it will be on Friday night. I'll let you know at school tomorrow. I'd better go now. See you later!"

"Bye!" Sakura said, then watched her walk off. '_Hu-e_,' she thought to herself. '_I hope she doesn't go spending too much money on me..._' Then, she went back to contemplating the selection in the bakery window.

---------- March 30 -----------

Saga stared out of the window in amazement at the city below. It looked HUGE. And modern. Her face became sad for a moment as she remembered the quaint town she had lived in since she was four. '_It's been over seven months since I've been to Muhlenburg,_' she thought to herself as the attention tone pinged. She looked up at and saw the fasten seat belt sign come on. '_I didn't just miss the first snow... I missed all of it._' She sighed, as the captain came over the speaker to tell the stewardesses and passengers to prepare for landing. Then, her face became determined. '_Next year, I'll be home for the first snow. No matter what Hans says._'

A smile followed as she thought of her cold-hating manager. He had insisted on tropical destinations for all of the winter months of this tour. He had whined about coming to Tokyo this early, but he had apparently promised a friend and couldn't get out of it. '_At least I'll get to see the famous cherry blossoms in bloom,_' she thought.


	2. Gatherings and Meetings

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

I do not write for reviews, but I sure enjoy compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. I apologize for the clumsy descriptions. I'm not very good about working that kind of stuff in.... --;;; - Raya

WARNING: Spoilers for "A Little Snow Fairy Sugar" ahead! You have been warned. There are also some spoilers for CCS, but that has been out in the US longer than Sugar so I don't think you're at as much risk....

**Cherry Snow**

Part II – Gatherings And Meetings

----------- April 2 (Day After Sakura's 16th Birthday) -----------

"What? You're going to a piano recital? How boring," Kero said as pounded the controller buttons for his racing game. "Grrr.. Come on... Faster. Faster! Hu-a!!! Beat THAT Supi!" He danced and posed in front of the TV a moment, then looked over at Sakura. She was standing by her desk, dressed for the concert in the simple, green, calf-length dress with white lace at the neck and cap sleeves that she had received for her birthday. Around her neck was the gold locket she had received from her grandfather. Her gaze rested on the Sakura Book, and she looked troubled.

"Hey, what's the matter?" Kero asked flying over to her.

"Oh nothing. Just some weird dreams I've been having lately."

Kero gave her a serious look, then settled onto the desk. "Dreams that worry you. Which means something must be coming. So spill. What are they about?"

Sakura looked at him with sad, serious eyes. "There's a hallway. It's clear, like crystal, but you can't see through it. Kinda strange. I see myself in a mirror. Then I hear a scream. There's yelling and crying and evil sounding laughter. Then, a Card floats in front of me. But it has changed. I don't remember which one it is, or how it changed, but it scares me. And just as I wake up, I hear a voice scream "Give it back!"

Kero looked down at the desk and rubbed his chin in thought. "Something that transforms the Cards, huh. You didn't see anyone?" Sakura shook her head, brown hair brushing her shoulders. "Uh-uh. Just myself in the mirror and the Card."

"Right," he said with determination. "Guess that means I'm going to the concert, too."

"Hu-e?" Sakura said in surprise.

"If something's coming, and it affects the Cards, I'm not letting you out of my sight!"

"But Kero-chan! I'm going with Rika-chan and some other people. You can't come! You'll get bored and cause a mess!"

"I will not!"

Sakura studied the determined and offended guardian a moment, then sighed with secret relief. "Fine. Just don't snore." "Hey!" he cried in an offended tone as Sakura picked up the book and pulled out a card. She took off her key, transformed it into her staff, and then used the Little Card to make the Sakura Book compact enough to fit in her dress handbag. "There. Now you hide in my coat pocket, ok?" she asked looking at Kero. "Right," he replied, and flew to his hiding spot.

Picking up the coat, handbag, and shoes she intended to wear for the night, she turned off the light and TV, and then walked out of the room.

-----------

"Hey, Sugar! Pepper! Hurry up!" a small white clad fairy called as he flew down the sidewalk over the heads of the pedestrians.

"Salt! Wait up!" Another white clad fairy and a green clad fairy, both women, raced after the male fairy. "What's the hurry?" Sugar grumped as she flew along.

"It's a surprise," Pepper said sweetly as she put on a little extra speed and pulled ahead of her pink haired friend. She smiled as Sugar continued to grumble about missing the final snowfall in Muhlenburg for the year. Somehow, Sugar had managed to get herself put permanently on the list for at least the first and last snows in Muhlenburg, and she always tried to get as many others as she could. It had taken quite a bit of persuasion from Salt and Pepper to get her to Tokyo this year instead. In fact, they had had to pull out the big guns. She smiled again as she thought of Sugar's secondary surprise. "Hurry up, Sugar! We'll be late!" she called, and turned the corner.

"Mo! Wait UP!" Sugar called. "I don't know where we're going!" She flew around the corner, then had to perform some emergency maneuvers to avoid crashing into a tall, black haired man. "Sorry! Excuse me!" she called out automatically never taking her eyes off of Pepper's green dress. "Pepper!"

Yukito's eyes widened in surprise as he watched the Kero-sized woman fly off down the walk. "Eh? Yuki, what's up?" Touya asked as he climbed down the ladder.

"Oh, nothing. Just some unusual little creatures flying around tonight. Are you about done there? We're going to be late for Sakura-chan's second birthday party."

"Yeah, just let me put this ladder away." Touya carried the ladder inside, then came out putting on his blazer. "So, why are we going to this again?"

Yukito laughed. "Because her friend Rika-chan invited us, and I like piano music. And, you lost the chess game," he responded with a grin. They began to walk in the direction of the concert hall. Yukito smiled widely, as Touya grumbled softly about white-haired guardians who had too much time for learning foreign strategy games.

-----------

Sakura managed to separate herself from her friends and find an isolated corner in the entryway. "Kero-chan!" she whispered looking down into her pocket. "Hurry! I have to check my coat. Why don't you see if you can discretely go find a place to watch the concert?"

Kero huffed at her as he levitated out of her pocket. "I can be discrete," he grumbled. Then he looked at his mistress. "Where are your seats?"

"Um... I think Rika-chan said that they are in the balcony." She looked around nervously, and spotted Chiharu looking for her. She stepped in front of Kero and waved as she caught her friend's eyes. "Just find a place to hide and stay out of sight, ok?" she pleaded as she began to walk back towards her friends. She heard Kero make another rude noise behind her, and felt his aura fly off. She gave a small sigh, and slipped back into the group.

Tomoyo looked at her and raised an eyebrow in question. At Sakura's resigned nod, Tomoyo inched her way over to Sakura's side. "Why is Kero-chan here?" she whispered. "I told him about a dream I had last night, and he's feeling protective," Sakura whispered back.

"Dream? More trouble?" Tomoyo's eyes lit up, making Sakura hang her head a moment. She lifted it back up, and looked Tomoyo in the eye. "Not yet," she whispered. "But soon?" Tomoyo whispered back hopefully. Sakura sighed, and shrugged. Tomoyo's eyes glazed over as she mentally began preparing new costumes for her best friend and model.

After she had traded her coat for a claim ticket, Sakura felt a strange aura enter the concert hall. She looked around, but just missed seeing the three fairy friends as they flew though the curtained doorway and into the main concert area. However, she was in time to see Yukito and Touya enter the hall. "Onii-chan?" she asked in surprise.

Yukito spotted her at the same time and raised a hand in greeting. Sakura turned to Rika. "Um, Rika-chan, how many people did you invite?" she asked in a puzzled tone. "Chiharu-chan, Yamazaki-kun, Naoko-chan, Togashi-kun, Terada-sensei, Tomoyo-chan, Minoru-kun, Yukito-san, my brother..." She blinked as her father came in. "My father, too? It's looking like my birthday party all over again. In fact, the only ones missing are..." She trailed off as Eriol, Shaoran, Nakuru, Kaho, and Meiling walked in. She turned back to Rika who was smiling in pleasure at her surprise.

"Haha, don't look so worried, Sakura-chan," she laughed. "I just thought it would be fun to have all your friends here. Everyone bought their own ticket. I didn't realize Hiiragizawa-kun and the others were going to be in town, or I would have invited them before last night. It's a good thing that they already had tickets." At Sakura's puzzled look, she continued. "Apparently, Hiiragizawa-kun saw Bergman-san in Germany a few years ago, and when he heard that she would be having this concert during his visit he arranged to get tickets. And someone got Meiling-chan's ticket. I'm not sure if it was Tomoyo-chan or Li-kun. So we were all able to come together after all. Isn't that great?" Rika smiled with pride and pleasure at Sakura's stunned look.

"Ri... Rika-chan... I... I don't know what to say..." she stuttered, blinking around at the grinning people who surrounded them.

"Hmph. Just say 'Thank you', monster," Touya put in as he passed her to check his and Yukito's coats. Her surprised look became an irritated glare directed at her brother's back. Then, she turned back to her friend, and smiled. "Thank you, Rika-chan. This is a wonderful birthday present!"

"Sakura-chan!" Another voice floated over the crowd causing the Kinomotos and Tomoyo to turn their heads. "Oh Sakura-chan, how pretty you look," Sonomi gushed as she joined the group. She managed to tear her eyes of her beloved cousin's daughter to give her own daughter a proper motherly greeting.

-----------

As they flew through the curtain and into the main concert hall, Sugar looked around in surprise. "Eh? What's this? Are we going to see a play?" Her naturally curious nature finally overcame her sadness at not being in Muhlenburg for the final snowfall of the year. She looked around the hall with wide, expectant eyes.

"Something like that," Pepper responded with a light laugh. "Come on, let's go sit over here. Oh, please excuse me," she said humbly as she barely avoided plowing into a golden flying creature.

"Hey, watch it!" Kero said at the same time as he pulled up short. The four flying creatures stared at each other in surprise a moment as they floated gently up to the ceiling.

"I really am so sorry," Pepper said sweetly. "I wasn't watching where I was going. Please forgive me."

Kero looked at the polite fairy in surprise. "Uh... No, that's all right," he said with a laugh. "I wasn't watching either. So... What are you guys?" he asked a little suspiciously as he studied them.

'_Powerful, inactive magic,_' he thought to himself. '_But they feel more like elementals than an enemy or a construct._'

"Oh, please allow us to introduce ourselves," Pepper said, as Salt sighed impatiently. "I am Wind-Fairy Pepper." Her long brown hair floated around her as she bowed her head, held out the skirt of her green peasant dress, and curtsied. He decided that the little woman with dark purple eyes, glasses, and shimmery transparent wings did have Windy's gentle spirit, and that her magic did feel similar.

"This is my friend, Cloud-Fairy Salt," she said, indicating a brown haired man dressed in a long white tunic and pants. The white hat sitting on his head looked like a fluffy marshmallow in Kero's opinion. The jester tails somehow did nothing to detract from that image. The man glowered at him impatiently with dark blue eyes, reminding Kero more of Fiery than Cloud, even with the shimmery, transparent wings.

"And this is my other friend, Snow-Fairy Sugar." Kero eyed the woman with short, pink hair. She was clothed in a long, white, short-sleeved, old-fashioned European dress and a fur-edged white cape with shimmery, transparent wings sticking out of it. The tiny piano clasp holding the cape closed and the musical note gracing her white snow hat made him think that she was the one who was most interested in this concert. Her light purple eyes studied him just as intently, though they shone with curiosity. Her magic felt more like Flower's, but there was some Snow in there, too.

"Hi," Sugar piped. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Flying Bear."

"Eh?!?! I'm not a bear!" Kero hollered indignantly. "I'm Cerberus, the Guardian Beast!"

The three fairies looked at him un-fazed and unimpressed. "Ke-ro-be-ro-s?" Sugar repeated curiously.

"That sounds like such a big name for such a small bear. Hey, why do you have a long tail?" Salt put in, as he flew around to Kero's side to get a different view. Sugar agreed as Kero sputtered. She flew to look at his other side. "He looks more like a Kero, than a Keroberos."

"Sugar, Salt!" Pepper pleaded in a whisper, then turned her attention back to Kero. "Um, so Mr. Kero-bear, what is it you guard?" Sugar and Salt giggled with delight as Kero roared indignantly. "It's Cerberus! Not Kero-bear!"

Pepper blushed at her mistake. "I'm so sorry. Mr. Keroberos, what is it you guard?" she asked again softly.

Kero drew himself up proudly. "I guard the Sakura Cards." He waited expectantly for the ooo's and ah's of admiration. Instead, all he got were blank stares. "The what?" Pepper asked in puzzlement.

"The Sakura Cards. Come on. Don't tell me you've never heard of them! They are the cards created by Clow Reed to control various elements and ideas. My mistress, Sakura, converted them all over to Sakura Cards years ago."

The fairies continued to stare at him with blank expressions. "YOU know!" he went on in an aggravated voice. "Firey, Windy, Watery, Earthy, Snow, Cloud, Flower...." The fairies' eyes got wider. He thought he was finally getting through to them.

"Never heard of them," Sugar said, causing his jaw to drop. "Are they really powerful?"

Before he could answer, he heard a familiar chuckle behind him. He spun around and found his archrival, Spinel Sun, floating behind him. "Oh, that is too funny, Cerberus," the black guardian said still chuckling.

"Eh, who's this?" Sugar asked flying over to look at Supi. Supi looked at her in surprise then introduced himself in a dignified voice. "I am Master Eriol's Sun Guardian, Spinel Sun."

"Hey, Supi, what're YOU doin' here?" Kero growled in mock anger. "I thought you'd be home trying to beat my score."

"Supi?" Sugar asked in surprise, then laughed. "Kero-bear and Supi-cat! Hi! It's so nice to meet you!" She flew over and gave Supi a kiss on the cheek before he could move out of her way. He and Kero stared at her in shock, allowing her to give Kero a kiss as well while Pepper giggled and Salt looked disgusted.

"Sugar. Salt. Pepper. Hurry up!" a familiar voice called. Sugar turned in surprise and cried out in delight. "Ginger! Turmeric!" The red-headed rain fairy clad in blue and the blonde cloud fairy dressed in white smiled at the enthusiastic greeting.

"What are you doing here?" Sugar continued curiously, flying over to stand in front of them. The two older fairies smiled even wider. "Why, we wouldn't miss this for the world, Sugar," Ginger replied mysteriously.

"What? What? You wouldn't miss what?" Sugar asked, beginning to dart around as if she were an apprentice fairy again. Another familiar chuckle made her gasp and spin around.

"Well, if you'd just come over here, sit down, and wait a few more minutes, you'll see what," another pink haired snow fairy said with a gentle smile.

"Mother!!!!" With a squeal of delight, Sugar flew towards her mother with outstretched arms. As soon as she was wrapped in her mother's embrace, she began to sprinkle her face with kisses as if she were a child again. This caused her mother to laugh at her playfulness.

"Sheesh," Salt mumbled, looking away in embarrassment. "You'd think it were years since she saw her mother, not a week." Pepper and Ginger just giggled. "And that she were just a kid again," Turmeric added, staring at the two snow fairies in fascination. "At least she isn't sulking anymore," Pepper said with a smile. Salt looked at her, smiled, and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that's a definite improvement."

"Now we'd really better hurry," Sugar's mother said as she stepped away from her daughter. "The concert will be starting in just a few minutes." She paused and looked at Kero and Supi. "Who are your friends here?"

"Mother, these are Kero-bear and Supi-cat," Sugar answered in her cheerful voice. Kero growled, while Supi winced. "I'm Cerberus the Guardian Beast of the Sakura, and this is Spinel Sun," Kero said abruptly.

"My, I didn't realize the cherry blossoms had their own Guardian Beast," Sugar's mother said in surprise. Kero stared at her blankly, while Supi blinked and began to chuckle again. "How do you do? I am Sugar's mother, Snow-Fairy Powder. It is very nice to meet you." She bowed politely to the two beasts, then continued. "Would you like to sit with us? We have special seats up front."

As soon as she said the word seats, Kero abruptly remembered that he was hovering in plain view of the entire hall. "Arrrgghhh!" he cried. "Sakura's gonna kill me! I'm not supposed to be seen!" Slowly he turned his gaze to the balcony, and caught his mistress glaring at him.

"Relax," Spinel said. "We're so high up, no-one down there can see us if they aren't looking for us. Unless you keep yelling down the house like that, I mean." He also turned and looked to Sakura, and then to his master, missing the surprised looks on the fairies faces.

"Normal humans can see you?" Sugar asked a little sadly. At their surprised nods, she sighed. "So lucky," she muttered, then turned to her mother with a determined, happy smile. "So, where are we sitting again?" Her mother smiled in sympathy. "Up by the stage lights. The Elder is holding our places."

As Ginger and Turmeric led the younger fairies away, she turned a stern glare to Kero and Supi. "If normal humans can see you and hear you... You'd better be very quiet. This is a special concert, and we've worked very hard to get Sugar here to enjoy it. If you mess it up...." Kero and Supi felt a wave of magical cold and looked at the fairy with wide-eyed respect. "If you mess up, I'll turn you both into snowmen, Sun powers or no Sun powers. Do I make myself clear?" The two magical beasts nodded slowly. "Good. Then come this way, if you would like to sit with us." The wave of cold disappeared. She smiled her gentle smile, and led the way up to the lights in front of the curtained stage.


	3. The Concert

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

I do not write for reviews, but I sure enjoy compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. - Raya

WARNING: Spoilers for "A Little Snow Fairy Sugar" ahead! You have been warned. There are also some spoilers for CCS, but that has been out in the US longer than Sugar so I don't think you're at as much risk....

**Cherry Snow**

Part III – The Concert

Sakura stared anxiously at Kero as he hovered in the air above the main seats near the ceiling. Once again she could feel those strange auras, and they seemed to be coming from the little creatures he was talking to.

"Don't stare at him," Shaoran whispered in her ear, making her jump. "If you stare at them, you'll make someone else look to see what you're staring at."

She blinked as she realized how much sense this made and tried to turn her attention away from the floating group. It was hard, though. Her gaze kept drifting back to them. Finally, she saw Kero start and turn slowly to look at her. She glared at him, trying to convince him to go hide before he was spotted. Supi looked towards the balcony also then turned back to the creatures in front of him. Finally, they began to move away to the front of the theater. She sighed with relief when she saw them finally hide among the stage lights.

-----------

Saga took a deep breath and smoothed down the front of her dark plum colored dress. Although most performers preferred to wear formal black sheaths or black tuxedos, she felt more comfortable in her tea-length dress. The satiny, airy, poofy skirt reminded her of Pepper for some reason, while the spaghetti strapped top was nice and cool under the hot stage lights. It also showed off the gorgeous tan she had acquired in South America and the Islands and brought out the rich highlights in her medium-dark brown hair, but she barely noticed that.

She looked over at the piano on the stage to check that all was ready. Her music was sitting neat and orderly, just as she had left it after practice earlier. The spring holder she insisted on was in place, ready to prevent her music from scattering in a stray breeze. And on top of the piano on the back stage side was a small basket of waffles. She smiled at the basket. Maybe this time some of them would disappear. They weren't as good as the ones sold in the square back home, but they were still sweet.

She looked up into the rafters above the piano and saw the boxes of powdered sugar and flower petals ready to rain down on her and chuckled. Hans never understood why she insisted on being showered with powdered sugar at the end of a performance, but had finally stopped asking when she said it was just an artistic quirk. He didn't believe it, but he stopped asking.

Hans walked up beside her as she began to shake her hands and wrists to loosen them up. He looked at the basket on the piano and the boxes up in the air above it and sighed dramatically. Her smile became a grin as she thought of the surprise she had for him.

"They should be cherry blossoms, not sugar," he complained softly. "We are in Japan after all." She chuckled, and looked at her blonde manager with shining brown eyes. "But I like powdered sugar," she said just as softly.

He snorted and looked at her, with suddenly serious green eyes. "Ready? Curtain rises in one minute." She took another breath and nodded.

-----------

The director of Rika's piano school, Mr. Sawaii, walked out onto the stage with a microphone. "Welcome, ladies and gentlemen," he said in a light tenor voice. "Tonight we have a very special guest performer. This young lady comes from Germany, where she has won several awards for her skilled playing. Her performances have been described as gentle and magical. By very special request, our school was able to arrange for her first visit to Japan. Ladies and gentlemen, please give her a warm welcome." He stopped and bowed to the audience, who began to clap politely.

He turned as the curtain began to rise, and held his arm back towards the young lady standing by the piano. Sugar gasped in recognition and disbelief as he announced her name. "Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Saga Bergman."

"Saga..." Sugar whispered, eyes wide. Her friends and family smiled in satisfaction as her face broke into a huge smile. Tears began to run unnoticed down her face as Saga bowed politely to the applauding audience, smiled, and sat down on the piano bench.

Silence filled the theater as she placed her hands on the keyboard. Then, the beautiful sound of a Chopin waltz filled the air, and Saga transported her audience to another world and time.

By the end of Saga's second song, Sugar had spotted the treat sitting on the piano. With a grin she jumped up and yelled "Waho!" and flew to the stage. Pepper laughed, while Salt grinned, then yelled after her. "Hey Sugar! Wait up! Save some for me!" Soon, Sugar, Salt, Pepper, and the Elder were on the stage trying to discretely steel a waffle.

Saga smiled as she heard the rustling. At the end of her third song, she casually reached out and put a waffle behind the basket with a wink. "Welcome, whoever you are," she whispered, still smiling.

The fairies barely managed to avoid being crushed. "It's Sugar! Sugar!" the little snow fairy called out in a playful voice. The knowledge that her best friend had not been able to hear her for almost ten years tinged both her voice and her eyes lightly with sadness. Then she smiled up at Saga. "Thanks..."

Up in the light rack, Kero watched and mumbled jealously as Saga continued to discreetly dole out the waffles, and the fairies ate the treat in front of him. "It's just not fair!" he whined. "I want some, too!" "Shhh...." Powder said. "Do you want to be heard?"

Kero continued to grumble up to the intermission. Just before the theater lights came up, he stood. "I can't take it any more!" he cried softly, then flew off to the back of the hall.

Saga stood, and bowed politely as the curtain came down on the first half of her performance. The audience applauded loudly and enthusiastically, making her grin widely.

After the curtain was completely down, she turned to look at the basket. "My, either there are a lot of you, or you're really hungry," she said with a smile. The basket was more than half-empty. "I have some more in my dressing room. Feel free to help yourself, and I'll fill it up before I start playing again. Oh, and do please stick around. I have a special song at the end that I would really like you to hear," she whispered as Hans walked across the stage towards her.

"A special song?" Sugar asked curiously. "I wonder what song that is?" The four fairies pondered a moment, then Sugar's face lit up. "Maybe... Her mother's song?"

"Yeah, that must be it!" Salt said, as Ginger, Turmeric, and Powder joined them on the piano. "What song could be more special than that?" Pepper asked, smiling and nodding in agreement. Saga and Hans walked off the stage to rest.

"Ginger-chan! You really must try this waffle," the Elder said, breaking off a piece and offering it to the red-head with hearts in his eyes. She blinked at him a moment, uncertainly, then accepted the gift. "Mmmm... This is pretty good," she said with a smile. The Elder flew on his back over the side of the piano in rapture, only to drop when she offered part to Turmeric. "Here, try some."

Sugar contemplated the sheets of music that Saga had finished playing. Pepper saw her expression, and waited to see what her friend was planning.

A smile blossomed on Sugar's face, and she flew up to the top of the paper. Very carefully, she grasped the very first page and tugged gently. When it refused to budge, she pulled harder. Pepper flew up to help her with a curious expression on her face. Finally, the two women were able to get the page free without disturbing the rest of the stack. Quickly, Sugar guided it to the piano bench, where she began to fold it. The other fairies munched on the waffles, and watched curiously.

As she finished her project, Salt and Pepper gave an exclamation of surprise. "Mr. Bear!" Pepper said. "That looks just like those little bears you made out of napkins in the coffee shop."

Sugar wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, then flew up to the top of the piano again. "Do you think so? That's what I was trying for, but it's harder with a bigger piece of paper."

The group started as the lights dimmed and brightened three times. "Eh? What's going on? Is the power trying to go out?" Sugar asked worriedly.

Ginger and Turmeric laughed. "No," the cloud fairy reassured her. "It just means the show is going to be starting again soon." His smile widened at the uncertain looks that the younger fairies gave him. "Ginger and I have been to see several plays, and they do that sometimes. Really, it's ok." The Elder fell down over the side of the piano again at the thought of his beloved Ginger-chan going on several dates with Turmeric.

-----------

As the tones sounded indicating only three minutes left in the break, Sakura turned to Tomoyo uncertainly. "Should we continue to wait?" she asked, indicating the long line for the bathroom in front of them. Tomoyo studied it a moment, then responded. "It seems to be moving pretty quickly. I think we'll make it."

Sakura bit her lip, and looked back at the line uncertainly. "I don't want to miss anything...." she said softly, shifting a silver bag from one hand to the other.

"So, Sakura-chan, what did you buy?" Tomoyo asked trying to distract her friend.

"Hu-e? Oh, I bought a program and a CD." Sakura opened the bag and pulled out the white souvenir program book. "Look. Isn't it so pretty?" The two friends ooo-ed and ah-ed over the program until their turn finally came.

As they were rushing out of the restroom, the lights flickered once and the final tone sounded. "Hu-e.... I wanted to get a drink, too. Oh well. We'd better hurry, or we'll be late!" Tomoyo nodded in agreement and the two hurried toward the curtained entryway.

As they got back to their seats, they found that Shaoran and Minoru had beaten them. Sakura felt her stomach twist uncomfortably at the look on her boyfriend's face. Shaoran was looking upset, and Minoru was watching him curiously.

"Here," Shaoran said quietly, as he handed her a lemon soda. Sakura thanked him, then shot a pleading look at Tomoyo. The black haired girl smiled in understanding, and quickly distracted her own boyfriend with talk about the recital.

"What?" Sakura asked Shaoran quietly, leaning close to him to keep the conversation private. Shaoran's eyes narrowed in irritation, but he just shook his head and looked away. "It was Kero-chan, wasn't it," Sakura said in trepidation. Shaoran's eyes widened as he looked at her in surprise. The look made her smile in spite of her worry. "You always get that look when he's done something he shouldn't."

She sighed, then looked him in the eyes. "How bad is it? Do they think the concert hall is haunted now by some sweet-eating demon? Are the employees getting fired? Did he break something? Are the police on their way?"

Shaoran smiled, and relaxed a little. "No, it's not that bad. Yet," he added with a mutter. "He got into the stores under the counter and was stuffing himself. Fortunately, I heard him and was able to distract the girl behind the counter long enough for him to escape. I had Minoru-kun buy the drinks while I chased him down and tried to convince him to go back to his hiding place."

Sakura smiled as she pictured the 'discussion' between the two males. She was probably doubly fortunate no one had caught them. They both tended to get loud when trying to make a point to the other. Shaoran's next question made the smile fade again.

"Why on earth did you bring him here anyway? You know he's nothing but trouble in a place like this."

She opened her mouth to answer, then closed it again as she saw Rika, Chiharu, and Naoko panting heavily at the end of the aisle. As she quickly stood to let them in, the lights dimmed once more. "Later," she whispered to him, then settled into her seat to enjoy the second half of the concert.

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Saga smiled as she carried the napkin full of waffles across the stage to the piano. Just as she reached the bench, she heard the One Minute Warning sound.

Her eyes widened as she saw that there was nothing but crumbs left from the earlier basket. "Whoa," she said softly. "I sure hope there are a lot of you." A worried look crossed her face. "I hate to think that one of you is that hungry..." Carefully, she put the new waffles in the basket, and dumped in the crumbs.

Crumpling the napkin, she turned to use the bench as a temporary trashcan. She stopped abruptly as she spied the paper folded into a bear head lying on top of it. Her eyes went very wide, then she reached out slowly to pick it up. "Sugar?" she asked softly. "Oh, Sugar, is that you?" She closed her eyes a moment, and held the paper bear to her chest.

"Saga? What is it? Is everything ok?" Hans hurried across the stage with a worried look on his face. Saga immediately opened her eyes and gave him a reassuring smile.

"It's ok. Someone just left me a present." As his worried look deepened, she shook her head and held up the paper. "It's really ok. Nothing bad. It just reminded me of something. I'm all right now."

She saw his friend step onto the stage with a worried look. "I'm all right. Really. It must be time to start. Go reassure Mr. Sawaii that everything is just fine, and get off the stage before the curtain rises."

She shooed him off towards the wings, then turned back to the piano. Carefully, she propped the bear head by the basket. A sudden thought made her check the rest of her music. When she found it was all still in order and only the very first page missing, she sighed, then looked with a smile towards the piano top where the three friends used to sit. "Sorry. Just had to make sure," she said directly to a pouting Sugar, making her smile.

Once again, the curtain rose, and the piano and Saga were bathed in the stage lights. The rest of the stage remained conveniently dark. Kero noticed this fact from his latest hiding place up in the rafters, and a plan began to form in his golden head. Quickly, he flew off towards the stage, avoiding the lights.

The group of fairies arranged themselves in a line across the top of the piano on either side of the music, and waited for Saga to start playing again. As soon as the clapping from the audience died down, she launched into a Mozart sonata.

Sugar, Pepper, and Salt all closed their eyes, and let the music pour through them. Powder smiled tenderly at the look on her daughter's face, then turned her eyes back to Saga. Her smile grew more amused as she realized the exact same expression was on her face.

Ginger also watched Saga, enjoying the play of expression on her face. The Elder watched his beloved Ginger-chan, of course, and tried to think of a song to compose for her.

Turmeric stared off into space, images of possible clouds coming into his mind. He gave a soft sigh of contentment, unheard by the others. '_Saga always was good inspiration,_' he thought.

A soft hissing sound soon interrupted his creative meditation. He cast an irritated glance towards the back of the stage, and saw Kero sitting just barely in the shadows.

"Hey!" Kero hissed again quietly. When he noticed he had Turmeric's attention, his eyes brightened with excitement. "Hey! Throw me a waffle!" he commanded softly, a faint pleading look on his face.

Turmeric tried to turn back to Saga and ignore him, but the Golden Beast of the Seal was not about to let him get away. He continued to hiss and beg for a waffle. "C'mon... Jus' one? Ooo... They look so delicious..." {slurp} "Hey! Hey, fairy!"

When Saga cast a curious glance towards the sound, Turmeric knew he would have to act. With an irritated expression, he stood and walked over to the basket. He flew up until he could break off a good-sized chunk, then tried to carry it discreetly to the shadows. Ginger and Powder watched curiously, until they saw his destination. Ginger's expression melted into surprise, while Powder narrowed her eyes in warning and irritation. Unfortunately, Kero only had eyes for the piece of waffle heading towards him.

Shortly after that, he had Ginger, Turmeric, and the Elder carting him pieces of waffle every few minutes to keep him quiet. Powder's expression became more and more irritated, and she soon began to float in the air above the piano to avoid accidentally freezing it in her anger.

Occasionally, Saga's gaze would track a floating piece of waffle, before she brought her eyes back to the music in front of her. She cast a worried glance at the basket, and hoped that the waffles would last until the end of the performance. She didn't think Sugar's little friend would be very happy once it ran out.

Finally, it was time for the last song. Saga's face broke into a big smile as she stood up from the bench and faced the audience. Their loud clapping and apparent enjoyment made her excitement build even more. She took several steps towards the edge of the stage, and bowed politely. Then, she held her hands up to ask for silence. It came so suddenly, it took her by surprise.

She blinked, then turned to verify that the interpreter was ready with the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for your warm welcome and response," she said slowly in German. After the interpreter had caught up, she continued. "My last song is an original composition. It is called "Friends Playing Through Life", and I would like to dedicate this performance to all of my tiny friends. Most particularly, this song is dedicated to Sugar, Salt, and Pepper, three friends from my childhood who taught me that sometimes the unplanned things in life are the best ones." With another smile, she bowed and walked back to the piano.

Sugar, Salt, and Pepper had surprised excited expressions on their faces. "A song for us?" Sugar asked, bouncing up and down in excitement. "Really? Saga wrote a song for us?"

Saga smiled towards the spot her friends usually occupied. "Feel free to play along," she whispered with a wink. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and rested her fingers on the piano keys. For a moment, all was still, including Kero.

Then, the melody that the fairies knew as "Saga's Mother's Song" began to softly fill the air. A few measures into the song, Sugar smiled widely, drew her white flute out of her holding bag, and began to play along. Saga's smile grew wider as she saw the little sparkles of fairy magic appear on top of her piano. Then she closed her eyes, and lost herself in the music.

In her head, she heard Pepper's harp, Salt's trumpet, Ginger's violin, and Turmeric's cello join and blend with her piano and Sugar's flute. The melody changed, and Saga began to play each of her friend's themes, wound around with gentle melody.

The fairies stared at her in surprised delight. "That... That's my old song!" Salt said in surprise. He pulled out his cello (he had given up the trumpet as his primary instrument when he decided to become a cloud fairy instead of a sun fairy), and followed along. The cello gave the old tune a new life, and Salt decided that he liked it. Turmeric smiled, pulled out his own cello, and began to play a counter melody.

Pepper pulled out her harp, and played along as well. When she heard her own melody coming out of the piano, she gasped, then smiled brightly. She put a little extra sweetness into her effort, making the other fairies and Kero look at her in awe.

The younger fairies, including Ginger and Turmeric, all smiled widely as the melody and tempo suddenly changed and became musically chaotic. Thoughts of the wild kids, Basil and Cinnamon, filled their heads. They could almost hear the drums, cymbals, lightening and sleet.

Then, Sugar rose and flew high above the piano as her melody came forth. Overhead, the boxes began to gently sprinkle down their load of sugar and sakura petals. The fairies started in surprise, but didn't stop playing.

Saga wove the melodies of the season fairies over and around her mother's theme. She smiled as a breeze began to gently ruffle her papers, stirring her long hair and making the sugar crystals and flower petals dance. A tiny cold snowflake on her nose made her start, open her eyes, and look around. All around her, beautiful, tiny, pin-sized snowflakes were falling gently. She smiled even more in pride as she recognized Sugar's handiwork.

A swirl caught her eye, and she gasped as Salt and Turmeric managed to gather some petals together to form several small clouds.

Ginger and Powder flew towards the back of the stage to play their parts. Kero was first drenched from an isolated pouring rain, then frozen and shaped into a Kero-sized snowman. All around him, a pile of warm, but cold snow piled up. The drift was soon up to his neck. Belatedly, he remembered Powder's threat. With all the moon-influenced magic around him and his promise to Sakura to not get caught, he was unable to immediately melt the snow. He had to sit and endure the uncomfortable punishment for his gluttony and distraction.

Meanwhile, up in the balcony, Sakura and her friends watched in amazement. The magicians among them felt the powerful elemental magic flowing around the stage, and heard the fairies' beautiful accompaniment.

The rest of the audience stared in amazement at the pianist's 'special effects'. The cloud shapes drew gasps of admiration. The gently dancing sugar crystals, sakura petals and snow, brought wide-eyed enjoyment. And the beautiful song left them speechless.

In the wings, Hans gaped, then reached up to rub his eyes in disbelief. He looked again, and watched the swirling cloud of snow, sugar, rain, and flower petals. His eyes caught the long-lost sight of fairy sparkle, lots of it, and he rubbed them again. 'Season Fairies?' he thought in amazement. 'There are Season Fairies playing along with Saga?'

He shook himself, then smiled. 'Of course there are. No wonder that song sounded so familiar.' He smiled, remembering his old Storm Fairy friend and their times together in the Bahamas. 'I'll have to discreetly ask her,' he decided with a nod.

Reluctantly, Saga brought the song around to its ending: Sugar's theme, and then her mother's theme, played softly once more. As her hands stilled on the piano, silence reigned throughout the concert hall. The audience slowly shook off the spell, and began to clap and cheer madly.

Saga started, then turned to look at them in surprise. She stood up off of the bench, gently brushing off sugar, snow, and petals, faced the crowd, and bowed. The cheering became louder, making her blush. She bowed again, saying one of the few Japanese phrases she knew. "Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you." Behind her, the curtain fell to hide the stage. She blushed and bowed and said 'thank you' until Mr. Sawaii finally came and rescued her.

After two curtain calls, she was finally able to start packing up. Sparkling fairy glitter glimmered all around her, as the fairies danced about in excitement trying to help.

"Saga!" Hans called as he came out onto the stage. "Wow. That was great! Especially that last song. I don't think I've ever heard you play it quite that way before."

Saga blushed a little, turning back to her music with a smile. "I guess I was a little... inspired this time," she said giving a hidden wink towards the nearest fairy sparkle. Salt grinned back.

Hans snorted, and was about to make a comment when he noticed Kero still partially frozen in place on the stage. "Eh? What's that?"

Saga looked over, and panicked slightly. "Um.. That? Oh, um, that's another present that was left for me." She dashed around the piano and scooped Kero up. Kero went rigid in surprise and fear of discovery. "Ahahaha... I wonder how it got so wet," she said as she held him out a little bit. "I guess I should go put it in my dressing room, then come back here for the rest of my stuff."

"Wait," Hans called out. Saga froze uncertainly. He reached out and picked a few cherry blossoms out of her hair. "I like the new addition," he said with a smile. "This is Japan, after all."

Supi watched from the shadows of the stage's rafters, as Saga blushed, laughed nervously, then turned to take Kero to her dressing room.

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A/N: For those who have seen A Tiny Snow Fairy Sugar, I hope you will forgive the liberties I took with the fairies' "theme songs". I always thought that so much more could have been done with them, particularly Salt's. For those who have not, let's just say that most of the themes are very simple. I think Salt's is six notes long, with two pitches. And it would probably sound just as boring (and completely out of place) on a cello. So, if you go hunting up Sugar, expect a good story line and some good background music, but don't shoot me for the fairies' themes. Please. - Ja!


	4. Finale

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.

Hurray! A review! Greetings to White Eternity. :) Thank you so much for your comment. I hope this chapter lives up to expectations. One of my beta readers insisted that I do a Sakura story after I finished the Sailor Moon one I was working on (The Sleeper), so you have her to thank.

And since I have remembered that... This final chapter is dedicated to Elflina, who kept insisting that I needed to write a Sakura story just to make her happy.

I do not write for reviews, but I sure enjoy compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections (especially the Japanese and German parts in this section). So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think. - Raya

WARNING: Spoilers for "A Little Snow Fairy Sugar" ahead! You have been warned. There are also some spoilers for CCS, but that has been out in the US longer than Sugar so I don't think you're at as much risk....

**Cherry Snow**

Part IV – Finale

Sakura peered around nervously as she waited for Shaoran to retrieve her coat. She expected to see Kero fly out of the concert hall at any moment. When he didn't appear, she paled and looked towards the snack bar.

Ten minutes later, she waved farewell to her friends. Telling the ushers that she had left something important inside, she and her family (including Shaoran and Eriol) re-entered the concert hall in search of the two missing beasts.

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Saga placed Kero on her dressing table, and whispered to him. "Just stay put until the coast is clear." She opened the door to walk back to the stage and jerked back in surprise. Hans smiled as he handed her her music, the empty basket, and the little bear shaped paper.

"Here. Go grab your shower and change." His smile grew wider. "Can't start the post show party without the main event, now can we? Hurry up. I'm starving, and Ichijo says this place is really good."

Saga laughed as she took the items and shook her head. "You're always starving," she commented. "I swear, someone would think you were 16 instead of 26. I'll be out shortly," she added with a smile. She closed the door, put the pile on the table near Kero, and then turned to study the little creature.

"Somehow, I don't think Sugar wants you to be seen," she sighed. "Look, just stay put, and I'll find a way to get you out of here."

"Actually, I couldn't care less," Sugar responded from her seat on Saga's shoulder. "It's his mistress that would get upset."

Kero flinched slightly at the mention of Sakura, and continued to stare glassy-eyed at the door. '_She's gonna be so mad and worried,_' he thought. '_I've got to get out of here._' His heart sank as he watched Saga lock the door, then gather her things for a shower. After Saga had entered the shower, he flew up from the table and began to search for an escape.

"Hey, sit down," Salt said irritably. "Saga told you to stay put for now."

Kero glared at him, then flew to the door. "Uh-ahhh," Pepper said sweetly as she pulled out her harp. She created a stiff breeze that blew Kero back towards the dressing table. "You've created enough trouble. Why don't you just sit and wait like Saga asked?"

"Hey, stop that!" Kero demanded. "Sakura will be looking for me. I've got to get back before she gets really worried."

"You should have thought of that before you tried to cause a commotion on stage," Ginger replied darkly. As Kero tried to fly to the door again, she knocked him to the floor with an isolated downpour. Kero growled and then transformed into his large form.

"Out of my way!" he ordered, and tried for the door again. This time, Powder stopped him by blinding him with a mini blizzard. Somehow, the fairies managed to keep him distracted until Saga stepped back in the room with Sugar.

"What the…" she started as she stared around the room in shock. Water, papers, and makeup bottles were everywhere, making the room look like it had been through a miniature tornado. Cerberus stared at her in panic, frozen in his newly won spot by the door. "Um, I can explain," he said, but was interrupted by a knock.

In a flash of light, he transformed back into his small form and flew to the dressing room table. Saga continued to stare around the room until another knock startled her into moving.

She slowly unlocked the door, and opened it a crack. "Um, yes?"

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"Ohhh... Where could he have gone?" Sakura fussed quietly as she stood near the balcony railing. "Calm down," Shaoran replied, running an impatient hand through his brown hair. "Just trace his aura. He can't possibly hide from you."

"Actually, that won't be necessary," said a voice near the dark ceiling. As the group looked up in surprise, Supi floated down to the balcony. "I know exactly where he is. Rescuing him may not be so easy, though."

"Supi," Sakura cried in delight. "You know where he is? What happened? Where did he go?"

The little cat-shaped black guardian smirked with superiority. "He was too slow in getting out of sight, and got caught by the fairies' friend. He was warned, but that black hole of a stomach of his over-rode what little brains he has."

"Spinel," Eriol reprimanded as Sakura stared and began to flush. Supi looked at the young sorceress then floated down to face her. "He's all right," he reassured her. "Come, I'll take you to them."

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"Ano... Sumimasen," Sakura said nervously as Saga opened the door a crack. "Kin iro meigurumi wo aitsukimashita ka?"

"Eh?" Saga asked, blinking in confusion. "Ich nicht verstehe."

"Eh?" Sakura asked, returning Saga's blank stare. "Taihen.... Nihongo wo wakarimasen ka?"

"Do you speak English perhaps?" Eriol tried, speaking slowly. Saga's face lit up with understanding. "Ja, a little," she replied.

"My friend is looking for a little stuffed animal she lost," Eriol continued. "It is about this big, yellow, and has wings and a tail."

"A stuffed animal?" Saga asked looking nervous and doubtful. Before she could say more, though, Kero flew across the room. "Sakura!"

"Kero-chan!" his mistress exclaimed in relief, holding out her arms. "I was so worried..." Abruptly, she realized that Saga was watching. "Um... a-hahaha...." '_Now what do I do...._'

"So... Is this the great mistress you were telling us about, Kero-bear?" Sugar asked as she flew over to look at Sakura. "The owner of those really powerful cards?"

"Hu-e?" Sakura said in surprise, jerking her head up to look at the snow fairy. "Wha... What did you say?"

"Heh? You can see me? You can! You can!" Sugar began darting around in excitement, as Sakura looked over at Saga's puzzled face.

"Hey, hey, can you give Saga a message for me? Please? Plea-ea-ease?" Sugar put her hands together and begged as hard as she could with her pale amethyst eyes opened wide.

"Um... Okay," Sakura said slowly, looking back at the fairy. "But, I don't speak German, and my English isn't all that good...."

"That's ok," Sugar said excitedly. "Just repeat after me. Sugar says thank you for the waffles and the beautiful song."

Sakura looked at Saga, and slowly repeated the strange foreign words. Saga's eyes grew wide when she finally deciphered the message Sakura was trying to pass along. "Sugar... Sugar!" With tears of happiness in her eyes, she held up her hands. She watched as the pink fairy sparkles settled down, then brought her hands gently to her face to nuzzle her friend. "It was you... I was right!"

"This little fairy is your friend?" Eriol asked, once again speaking slow English. Saga smiled, nodded, then looked at him in surprise. "You can see her? What does she look like? Are there others here, too?"

"Um... Well, she's about a foot tall, thin, with pink hair and a white hat. She's wearing a floor length white dress with cap sleeves, and a white cape with white fur trim. And she has a huge smile on her face," he added as Sugar looked at him gratefully. "And there are one, two,... Six other fairies here as well."

"Six?" Saga asked in surprise. "Yes. They say that their names are Ginger, Turmeric, Pepper, Salt, Elder, and Sugar's mother Powder," Eriol replied over the cacophony of excited fairy voices.

Saga smiled down at Sugar. "Your mother? I wish I could see her," she sighed.

"But that's just not possible," Hans said sympathetically as he stepped around Yukito. Saga gasped in surprise, while Sakura, Eriol, and Shaoran jumped. He smiled at the invisible creature in Saga's hands. "How do you do, Sugar. My name is Hans. If you happen to meet a Storm-Fairy named Cocoa, please tell him I said hi."

As Saga looked at her manager in surprise, Sakura and Shaoran began to plead with Eriol to give them an explanation of what was going on.

"Basically, from what Ginger-san tells me," he said in Japanese, "Sugar-san and Bergman-san became best friends many years ago when Sugar-san was an apprentice. Once Sugar-san finished her training, Bergman-san lost her ability to see into the fairy world. Apparently, she can still sense Sugar-san sometimes, and she can still see some of the glitter of fairy magic, but that's about it."

"Oh, how sad," Sakura said, looking at Saga with sad eyes. Touya also looked at Saga sympathetically, but with understanding, too. He reached out and tousled his little sister's hair. "It's not so bad, squirt. I bet she doesn't regret it a bit."

Sakura looked up at her brother in surprise, then back at Saga and Hans, who were talking quietly and quickly in German. Her eyes took on a speculative look. Shaoran, Touya, Yukito, Kero, and Eriol noticed it immediately, and looked at each other nervously. "Um, Sakura," Shaoran began, then stopped again uncertainly.

"All Onii-chan needed to do was regain his magical strength," she said softly, raising one hand to finger the Key at her neck. "Magic is rooted deep in the soul. It can't be completely removed without severe damage, but it can be cut back enough it won't re-grow on it's own.... It took a while, but once I realized that, I was able to help him. If the fairy used Bergman-san's energy to grow stronger..."

Eriol blinked at her in sudden understanding, then turned to Ginger and raised an eyebrow. "I don't know," she said in reply to his unspoken question. "It's never really come up before." She turned to the Elder, who had begun to carefully study a crack in the wall. "Elder? Is it possible? Can the sorceress help Saga see Sugar again?"

The Elder continued to look at the crack, and began to mumble to himself appearing not to hear the question. "Chocolates. That is supposed to work. Or better yet... Chocolate covered strawberries. I bet she likes strawberries!"

"Elder... Elder!" Ginger said, respect fading into impatience. The old fairy turned and looked at her with serious eyes. She bit her lip and looked down as she recognized the impartial expression on his face. It was the expression he used when he waited to see if an apprentice was going to solve the problem by himself like an adult, or ask for the answer like a child.

She looked back over at Eriol and Sakura. "I've never heard of a human regaining the ability to see Season Fairies. I think it's usually a sign that they have matured as well. I've only heard of children seeing us, not adults. So," she finished with disappointment in her voice, "I guess it's not a matter of sacrificing a magical strength but of maturity. Therefore, Saga will not be able to see Sugar again."

Sakura tore her eyes off of Saga, Hans, and Sugar, and looked at Ginger with a gentle smile. "It's all right," she said reassuringly. "She can still see the glitter, and she can still feel Sugar-chan. She hasn't lost it completely. Watch them. They can talk to each other without Bergman-san being able to actually hear."

The interested audience of humans, guardians, and fairies turned to watch as Saga told Hans a story of her time with Sugar. This one seemed to involve a piano racing out of control through the streets of a town. Every time Sugar made a comment, correction or complaint, Saga reacted. "It's true," Pepper whispered happily. "She CAN still hear Sugar!"

Sakura looked around the hallway and saw only friends around. She pulled the Sakura Cards out of her purse, and looked at them with a considering expression. '_Libra to return the scales of power back to normal? Power to strengthen what magic is there?'_ she thought. Her eyes grew wide, and then she smiled as Windy and Song rose up to float in front of her. '_Windy for communication... And music seems to be extremely important to both of them.... Yes, that combination might work._'

She put the rest of her Cards back in her purse, then took off her Key. By now, she had everyone's attention. With an encouraging smile to Saga, she transformed her Key into it's Staff form, then activated Windy and Song. "Windy! Song! Help these two to regain the strength they have lost!"

Saga and Hans stared as they saw a circle of light form around the young girl. As the wind began to blow through their hair, and Saga's closing song began to play around them, they began to look around in fright. Hans quickly drew Saga into his arms to protect her.

Sugar flew towards Sakura to make her stop, but was caught by Powder and Pepper. "Wait, Sugar," Pepper cried. "She's trying to help!" Reluctantly, Sugar let them hold her. She turned her anxious gaze towards her friend.

Around Saga and Hans, a pink glow began to form. Sakura kept her eyes on them, freely giving her strength to the two Cards that had volunteered for this task. As Song finished "Friends Playing Through Life", the light shrank down onto the two humans, then vanished.

For a moment, everyone stood quietly and expectantly. Sugar was the first to move. "Saga? Are you all right?"

Saga nodded slowly from her spot in Hans' arms, then a shocked expression covered her face. Bolting free, she called out: "Sugar? Sugar, was that you?!" Her eyes scanned the hall looking for the source of the voice she heard.

Sugar's eyes widened, and her hands went to her mouth in shock. As Saga calmed down and began to look disappointed, she flew towards her friend. Immediately, Saga's eyes found her. "Sugar? Sugar!"

"Hurray! Hurray! Saga can see and hear me again!" Sugar cheered with tears running down her face. "Well, almost," Saga said as she wiped tears off of her own face. "You're like... like a shadow. I can see you when you move. And I can hear you, but your voice is really soft."

Salt turned to check on Hans, who was staring at Saga and Sugar in shock. "Can you hear her, too?" he asked the blonde man. Hans just glanced at him, then turned his gaze back to Saga and Sugar. "Darn, it didn't work," Salt said with disappointment.

"But it did," Sakura replied, then wavered on her feet. "Sakura!" Shaoran cried, then grabbed her to hold her upright. She smiled up at him reassuringly. "I'm ok."

She looked back over at Salt, and spoke again. "They can only hear and see you a little right now, but the strength will grow. Soon, they will regain the strength they had before. I don't think they will become stronger. They will return to what they would have had naturally if they had never met you."

Saga turned to look at Sakura. "I will be able to see Sugar again? Really? And Salt and Pepper and everyone?"

"Yeah," Sakura agreed, then started. "What? You can understand me now?" Saga looked at her in surprise, then nodded slowly. "Yes... I can understand you completely now. How weird. Was that part of your magic, too?"

Sakura shook her head in confusion, while Yukito smiled. "Yet another gift from Windy," he said softly.

"Um, excuse me, but what are you people doing back here?" The group turned startled as Mr. Sawaii spoke from the end of the hall. "How did you get here? Please leave before I call Security."

Hans shook himself, then stepped forward. "It's all right, Ichijo-kun. I invited them back here to meet Saga." Ichijo looked at him uncertainly. "Yes," Eriol said with a smile. "I mentioned that I had seen Bergman-san play in Germany, and he thought she might like to meet a fan who liked her enough to see her in a foreign country."

Ichijo's face still looked uncertain, but he accepted the explanation. "Well, thank you for your support. I'm sorry to rush you, but we have dinner reservations, and we are running late. I'm afraid you will have to leave now."

Eriol smiled and nodded. "Certainly." He turned towards Hans and Saga, and bowed. "It was very nice to meet you. I hope things work out well," he said with a twinkle in his eye. Sakura and her family also bowed and said good bye.

As they were walking away, Saga called out. "Sakura-san!" Sakura turned to look at her in surprise. Side by side, Saga and Sugar bowed, and in unison said in clear Japanese: "Thank you very much." With a smile, she returned their bow, then led her group back to the front of the concert hall.

"Bye Supi-cat! Bye Kero-bear!" Sugar called mischievously. Saga turned towards her. "Carebear? There really is such a thing as a Carebear?"

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End

A/N – Yes the fairies can understand and be understood in any language... I hereby declare it part of their magic. : )

As for Sakura's dream... That is another story I am writing. I am on Chapter 16 and I don't think I'm even half way through, so it will be a long one. This time, the cross-over is with Sailor Moon (ChibiUsa/Rini). Sakura and friends haven't had a lot of chapter time, but I hope to change that soon. : ) My policy is not to post a story until it is complete (because I'd hate to disappoint someone who was actually reading it if I don't finish), but I may bend that this time. My beta reader, Ree, is very insistent. She whines quite "loudly" about wanting her bedtime story if I don't finish a chapter soon enough for her. :) So, it's very likely that story will be finished and I might as well start uploading it. I haven't decided where to put it yet, so keep looking under my ID to find it.

Ja ne! : ) Raya


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